1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to flat storage and display boxes and, more particularly, to optical arrangements for providing enhanced viewing of textual, graphic, and/or other symbolically coded information located on the inside of flat, transparent storage and display boxes for compact discs, audio tapes, or the like.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Compact discs, which were first developed by Philips and Sony in the early 1980s, are now a well-established form of medium for recording a variety of retrievable information. Their popularity and success stem from their compactness, convenience, competitive cost, and high information storing capacity.
Physically, such discs are thin, flat, circular objects approximately 12 cm in diameter by about 1.2 mm thick. They are provided with a central hole about 18 mm in diameter for purposes of mounting them for rotation in various devices capable of reading and writing information to and from them. Typically, audio, video or other data is recorded in digital form on one surface of the disc with the opposite remaining free for carrying information about the contents of the recorded information.
For enabling writing and recording information, a compact disc (CD) comprises a clear plastic layer over a reflective aluminum surface. Data, of whatever type, is stored on the disc in binary code; the `ones` of the code being dents or pits in the plastic surface while the `zeros` are represented by smooth plastic. When playing the disc, a laser beam scans the disc surface as it rotates and is reflected back only by the `zero` areas. Reflected light pulses are picked up by a photodetector which converts them into a digital electrical signal that can then be further processed for subsequent use in various playback devices appropriate for the type of information recorded in the disc.
While very popular for audio recording, CDs also can be used for storing video information, which applies the same technology. These have advantages over magnetic tape by virtue of being easier to replicate and randomly access.
CDs are also used to store large amounts of computer information. Here, CD-ROM (compact disc with read-only memory) is the most common format, but other forms of disc are available that allow data to be written on the disc as well as read.
Recent applications for CD use include the photo-CD, which records still images for viewing on a television screen or reproduction as hard copy, and the multimedia CD, which holds pictures, sound, and text information on one disc and can play it back through television receivers and hi-fi equipment or appropriately configured computer systems.
While CDs are physically robust because information is digitally encoded and optically read, they obviously are not immune to damage and require protection from mishandling and environmental effects which could destroy or compromise their information bearing surfaces or otherwise threaten their physical integrity.
Consequently, CDs are usually shipped, stored and marketed in correspondingly flat containers referred to as "jewel boxes". Such boxes are generally made of a durable, transparent plastic such as polycarbonate or styrene and have been designed to occupy the minimal amount of space consistent with their protective function. As a result of this, and the fact that CDs can carry so much digitally encoded information, space available on the surfaces of the jewel box for providing information about their contents is at a premium, especially since the practice of packaging CDs with "spaghetti" boxes has been discontinued because of environmental pressures associated with the accumulated waste from the sale of large volumes of CDs.
Since the disappearance of the spaghetti box from the marketplace, the current technique for informing CD users about the contents of recorded CD information is to provide the information in the form of thin paper booklets or sheets that are visible through the flat, transparent panels of a jewel boxes' front cover or base, or both. In addition, use is also made of the hinge edge of a box for displaying cryptic information about the title and author or artist of the CD. However, the limited exterior surface area of the conventional CD box, in turn, limits the amount of information that can be seen through any one surface thus requiring relevant information to be distributed among available surfaces. This forces a prospective buyer to flip through stacks of CDs while scanning the front covers in search of the identity of a particular CD, usually by title and/or artist, that may be of interest and then turning the box around to examine the rear surface for information about the detailed contents. Studies have shown that this results in the loss of multiple, and perhaps primary, sales because the process is time consuming and frustrating for the consumer. Hence, there is a need for a solution to the foregoing problems, and it is a primary object of this invention to provide solutions through the use of optical arrangements which enhance the viewing opportunities and amount of information that can be visually detected by a prospective CD owner.
While optical approaches have been used in the past for direct magnification of content information about the insides of containers, none have provided more visual access to more information on the same viewable area or, more importantly, different information viewable through the same box surface. For example, British Patent No. GB 2222143 entitled "BOX-LIKE CONTAINER" published on Feb. 28, 1990 discloses the use of a plano-convex, positive cylindrical lens arranged along the hinge edge of a tape cassette or compact disc box for purposes of providing magnification of informational matter carried directly behind it.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,863,026 entitled "STORAGE CASES FOR INFORMATION RECORDING DEVICES", issued on Sep. 5, 1989 discloses a Fresnel lens incorporated in or on the front cover panel of a case for purposes of magnifying information carded on the surface of a program card inserted in the case such that it lies directly beneath the lens. In like manner, U.S. Pat. No. 4,044,889 entitled "COSMETIC CONTAINER INCLUDING INTEGRATED LENS STRUCTURE", issued on Aug. 30, 1977, also shows a Fresnel lens for magnifying tiny underlying information carried on the interior of a cosmetic container.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,863,026 entitled "STORAGE CASES FOR INFORMATION RECORDING DEVICES", issued in the name of Thomas J. Perkowski on Sep. 5, 1989, discloses a Fresnel lens arranged on the front cover of a magnetic tape, video tape, or compact disc storage box for magnifying information located directly behind the front cover at an appropriate distance.
Similarly, U.S. Pat. No. 4,044,889 entitled "COSMETIC CONTAINER INCLUDING INTEGRATED LENS STRUCTURE", issued to Seymour Orentreich et al. on Aug. 30, 1977, describes the use of Fresnel lens structures for magnifying information located on the interior surfaces of cosmetic containers.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,189,531 entitled "HOLOGRAM PRODUCTION", issued to Charles E. Palmer et al. on Feb. 23, 1993, describes techniques for forming holographic images in cosmetic compact covers or compact audio or video discs or the like.
In view of the known art, there continues to be a demonstrable need for more effective ways of providing significantly improved visual access to flat containers and display boxes for purposes of informing prospective users about the contents of the containers and for making their contents more attractive to induce increased sales. And, it is a primary object of this invention to fulfill this need.
Another object of the present invention is to provide optical arrangements by which the viewable surfaces of flat containers may be exploited to provide views of different information by observing those surfaces from slightly different perspectives.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide optical arrangements by which encoded information may be provided on a viewable surface.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide optical viewing arrangements for compact disc containers that can be implemented by relatively minor modification of currently existing molds for fabricating them.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide optical arrangements by which pseudo-dynamic information may be provided to an observer of a flat container box.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an optical arrangement employing a lenticulated surface structured to compensate for parallax effects at customary viewing distances.
Yet still another object of the present invention is to provide informational materials, such as booklets and the like, that can be inserted into flat boxes utilizing existing equipment while lying flat against a flat panel of the box.
Other objects of the invention will be apparent and will appear hereinafter in the following detailed description when read in connection with the drawings.